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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJ_CUP Justification_241125_v2 1 6211 Roosevelt Way Northeast | Seattle, WA 98115 | 206 522 3830 | www.tca-inc.com RMC 4-9-030-7 CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT JUSTIFICATION D. DECISION CRITERIA: Except for wireless communication facilities and increases to maximum height and/or density, the Administrator or the Hearing Examiner shall consider, as applicable, the following factors for applications: (Ord. 5675, 12-3-2012) 1. Consistency with Plans and Regulations: The proposed use shall be compatible with the general goals, objectives, policies and standards of the Comprehensive Plan, the zoning regulations and any other plans, programs, maps or ordinances of the City of Renton. The project is proposed as Public Facilities- a Fire Station and Fire Department Maintenance Facility to be located on an R-4 parcel. This project will require a conditional use permit per pre- ap meeting. The intent for this proposal is that both buildings abide by the zoning regulation set forth in the Renton Municipal Code with minor exceptions. Both buildings take a standard approach and intend to follow the zoning regulations for allowable building area, occupancy, setbacks, heights, etc. Furthermore, there is a planned widening/street front improvement for SE 128th Street that this proposal will respond to. 2. Appropriate Location: The proposed location shall not result in the detrimental overconcentration of a particular use within the City or within the immediate area of the proposed use. The proposed location shall be suited for the proposed use. The project is proposed as two buildings consisting of a Fire Station and Fire Department Maintenance Facility located along and near a main arterial in the East Renton Highlands. The project and site search began in 2021. Its location was determined through the exploration of multiple sites within a specified target response area to ensure target response times were met to service the community, a goal of finding willing sellers to avoid a condemnation process, extensive site analysis and available land capacity to support the operational requirements of such use. As a public safety building its presence, location and access to main arterials is an important consideration to ensure operations are not impeded. 3. Effect on Adjacent Properties: The proposed use at the proposed location shall not result in substantial or undue adverse effects on adjacent property. 2 6211 Roosevelt Way Northeast | Seattle, WA 98115 | 206 522 3830 | www.tca-inc.com The existing context consists of a Church to the east and single-family residential properties to the south and west of the project. Required setbacks and landscape buffers have been provided to reduce impact to adjacent parcels. A six-foot, vinyl coated, slatted chain-link fence will be provided between adjacent parcels and the subject project to provide privacy and site security. R-4 zoning permits up to 3 stories with a maximum allowable height of 32’-0” based on the design requirements of the land use code. Key considerations when designing fire facilities is locating emergency response directly onto the primary arterial to avoid lights and sound impacting neighbors as much as possible yet allowing for reduce travel time to an emergency call. Safety is also a consideration, and a proposed traffic beacon is considered for community safety and arterial access. Refer also to section F below which specifically addresses the effect of the Maintenance Building on adjacent properties. 3. Compatibility: The proposed use shall be compatible with the scale and character of the neighborhood. The proposed new Fire Station replaces the existing station located at 12923 156th Avenue Southeast – Renton. The form of the new fire station is scaled down to reduce the building mass to integrate into the existing context and the maintenance building has been placed on the site to screen the adjacent neighbors from the operational side and sunk into the ground to reduce the mass on the south side of the building. Both buildings are modulated with textured materials, windows, and color to reduce their scale and fit in with adjacent uses. 4. Parking: Adequate parking is, or will be made, available. Fire Station staffing consists of six crew members requiring two spaces per sleeping room to account for shift changes. Twelve parking spaces have been provided for crew members. Maintenance staffing will consist of 3-4 staff servicing departmental apparatus. Five spaces have been provided for maintenance staff. Three public parking spaces have been provided for visitors. Total parking provided is 20 spaces which includes two accessible parking spaces and associated access aisles. 5. Traffic: The use shall ensure safe movement for vehicles and pedestrians and shall mitigate potential effects on the surrounding area. 3 6211 Roosevelt Way Northeast | Seattle, WA 98115 | 206 522 3830 | www.tca-inc.com Traffic will most likely be impacted by emergency apparatus response onto SE 128th Street. A new emergency beacon is proposed at the intersection of SE 128th Street and 158th Ave SE to slow traffic and allow for safe response. The City of Renton has requested a 1-foot ROW dedication along SE 128th Street to allow for future road widening. Right-of-Way improvements include the addition of sidewalks, curb and gutter, and landscape planters along SE 128th Street and 158th Ave SE. Currently, SE 128th Street has only a paved shoulder and 158th Ave SE has only a gravel shoulder. The addition of sidewalks and landscape planters will improve pedestrian safety. New drive access points along SE 128th Street are located 50’-0” apart, which complies with City of Renton standards. 6. Noise, Light and Glare: Potential noise, light and glare impacts from the proposed use shall be evaluated and mitigated. The following measures will be incorporated into the project design to reduce or control light and glare impacts: · Lighting types will be carefully planned to eliminate the potential spill of light off the project site; · Maximum height of on-site lighting is expected to be approximately 25 feet above lowest grade at building. · Use of sharp cut off fixtures, strategic locating of fixtures such that lighting will not extend beyond site boundaries · Plant materials for landscaping and buffer plantings will be considered and located to effectively reduce light and glare from vehicles maneuvering on the site; and Sirens from the fire apparatus and other safety vehicles will also be a source of noise during operation of the fire station. Safety sirens are exempt from the noise ordinance. Regular traffic and operational noise from incoming/departing fire apparatus’, medic, and firefighter vehicles including operation of apparatus bay doors. Occasional traffic from visitors, trash collection, postal deliveries, and incidental visiting apparatus. 7. Landscaping: Landscaping shall be provided in all areas not occupied by buildings, paving, or critical areas. Additional landscaping may be required to buffer adjacent properties from potentially adverse effects of the proposed use. 4 6211 Roosevelt Way Northeast | Seattle, WA 98115 | 206 522 3830 | www.tca-inc.com Landscape buffers have been provided in compliance with code requirements. Additional landscaping will be provided in spaces not occupied by buildings or paving. No critical areas present on or adjacent to the subject parcel which would require additional buffering. 5 6211 Roosevelt Way Northeast | Seattle, WA 98115 | 206 522 3830 | www.tca-inc.com F. DECISION CRITERIA – HEIGHT INCREASES: In lieu of the criteria in subsection D of this Section, Decision Criteria, the following criteria in subsections F1 through 5 of this Section shall be considered in determining whether to issue a conditional use permit to exceed the maximum height allowed when indicated as an option in the development standards for the particular zone: 1. Comprehensive Plan: The proposed height increase shall be compatible with the general purpose, goals, objectives and standards of the Comprehensive Plan, the zoning regulations and any other plan, program, map or regulation of the City. RMC 4-2-110A allows a maximum wall plate height of 32 feet in an R-4 zone. Renton Regional Fire Authority is proposing 33’-4” top of bent (the Pre-Engineered Metal Building equivalent to a top plate) for the Maintenance Building (only). The raised top plate is needed to provide a minimum 33-foot clearance inside the bays to allow for maintenance of fire apparatus with ladders. The engine of large apparatus is located under the cab which needs to be tilted for access. The cab cannot be tilted unless the ladder has been raised, hence the 33- foot clearance to raise the ladder. The current Renton Regional Fire Authority maintenance facility does not provide adequate clearance to raise the ladder thus apparatus with ladders are worked on outside in the elements. RMC 4-2-110E-18-b allows roofs, with a pitch of less than 4:12, to have a maximum surface projection equal to one foot per each 1’-6” additional setback distance from the building setback line. Maximum additional surface projection is six feet above the allowable plate height. In the case of the Maintenance Building, the building is located 8’-11 ½” away from the building setback line which would allow a surface projection of 5’-11 ¾” above the allowable top plate height for a building height of 37’-11 ¾” to the ridge. We are proposing a surface projection that is 5’- 7 ½” above the allowable plate height for an overall building height of 37’-7 ½” to the ridge. In essence, while the top of bent proposed is higher than that allowed, the overall building height is lower than the maximum allowed. 2. Effect on Abutting and Adjacent Properties: Building heights shall not result in substantial or undue adverse effects on adjacent and abutting property. When a building in excess of the maximum height is proposed adjacent to or abutting a lot with a maximum height less than the subject property, increased setbacks and/or step-backs may be appropriate to reduce adverse effects on adjacent or abutting property. 6 6211 Roosevelt Way Northeast | Seattle, WA 98115 | 206 522 3830 | www.tca-inc.com The first five feet of the Maintenance Building at the west face is below grade. This reduces the apparent height of the top of bent on west side to 28’-4” (which is lower than the allowable top plate), thus reducing the visual impact of the Maintenance Building to the adjacent residential properties to the west. New trees and shrubbery plantings are proposed between the Maintenance Building and adjacent residential parcels to the west which will soften the visual impact. The Maintenance Building is located 135 feet minimum from the south property line and 136 feet minimum from the east property line. The proposal will retain most of the existing trees along the south edge of the site and a portion of trees along the east edge of the site. Existing trees range in height from 30 feet to 75 feet. The proposal includes new trees and a new six-foot tall, vinyl coated, slatted chain-link privacy fence. The east property is heavily wooded. These elements will reduce the visual impact to the south and east properties. The Maintenance Building will be visible from SE 128th Steet; however, the building is located 354 feet minimum from the north property line. The primary view from SE 128th Street will be the new Fire Station as it is situated between the street and the Maintenance Building. 3. Bulk and Scale: Upper floor step-backs, varied tower heights with separation, and/or other architectural methods shall be integrated into the design to provide a human-scaled building edge along the street with access to sky views. Bulk reduction methods such as varied building geometry, variety in materials, texture, pattern or color, architectural rooftop elements, and/or other techniques shall be provided. Refer also to item D.3 above for general compatibility of the project. Maintenance Building is modulated with textured materials, windows, and color to reduce their scale and fit in with adjacent uses. Care has been taken to reduce roof top equipment by providing interior vented spaces for equipment that would be more commonly found on the roof of a maintenance building. 4. Light and Glare: Building(s) shall be designed so that light and glare impacts upon streets, public facilities, and public open spaces are minimized. Refer to item D.6 above which addresses general lighting of the site. Exterior lights are not planned for the west face of the Maintenance Building. The building has large windows to provide natural lighting for the maintenance crew. However, the Maintenance Building will only be in operation during normal business hours (8 am to 5 pm). There should be little impact to adjacent properties from artificial lighting emanating from inside the building. 7 6211 Roosevelt Way Northeast | Seattle, WA 98115 | 206 522 3830 | www.tca-inc.com 5. Shade and Shadow: Building(s) shall be designed so that shade and shadow impacts on adjacent shadow-sensitive uses (e.g., residential, outdoor restaurants, open spaces, and pedestrian areas) are minimized. (Ord. 5965, 3-2-2020) The Maintenance Building will not cast shadows or shade on adjacent properties to the north, east or south due to the location of the building in relation to the property lines (refer to item F.2 above). The Maintenance Building is located approximately 30 feet east of the adjacent residence to the west and 18’-11 ½” from the property line. The building will likely cast a shadow on the west adjacent properties during early to mid-morning hours only.